Hyundai Sonata vs Nissan Altima: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (August 2026), the Hyundai Sonata typically lists for $23,281 against $20,998 for the Nissan Altima (same model years — 2024–2026 — national medians from live listings). The Hyundai Sonata takes fuel economy (27 MPG combined vs 26 MPG); the Hyundai Sonata leads on NCAP safety (5.0★ vs 4.9★ average). Overall medians mix very different trims — at the cheapest common trims it's the SEL at $22,495 vs the S at $18,998; see the trim-by-trim tables for a fair match. Every figure below is live market data, not book values.
Head to head
Trim-by-trim prices (last 4 model years)
A fair comparison matches equivalent trims, not overall medians. Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, the Hyundai Sonata SEL ($22,495) faces the Nissan Altima S ($18,998); the most common trims on the market are the SEL (68.9% of Hyundai Sonata listings) and the SV (68.6% of Nissan Altima listings); at the top of the market, the N LINE ($29,792) faces the SL ($24,602). Share = portion of the model's trim-labeled used listings (a supply-side popularity signal: what the market actually stocks and sells most). “Cheapest”/“Priciest” mark the ends of the quotable trim range — trim ladders don't map one-to-one across brands, so this is not a factory base-model claim.
| Hyundai Sonata | Nissan Altima | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trim | Typical price | Share | Trim | Typical price | Share |
| SELMost popularCheapest | $22,495 | 68.9% | SCheapest | $18,998 | 5.8% |
| SEL PLUS | $22,990 | 2.0% | SVMost popular | $20,349 | 68.6% |
| SE | $24,344 | 8.0% | 25 SV | $20,986 | 1.5% |
| BLUE | $24,844 | 3.3% | SR | $21,999 | 19.6% |
| SEL CONVENIENCE | $26,998 | 1.2% | SLPriciest | $24,602 | 4.5% |
| LIMITED | $27,445 | 6.7% | — | ||
| SEL SPORT | $28,559 | 6.8% | — | ||
| N LINEPriciest | $29,792 | 3.0% | — | ||
Rows are aligned by price position (both sides sorted cheapest-first), not by equivalent equipment — trim names never map one-to-one across brands. Full per-trim detail (price ranges, mileage) is on each model's price page: Hyundai Sonata prices · Nissan Altima prices.
Used price by model year
| Year | Hyundai Sonata typical | Nissan Altima typical | Difference | Hyundai Sonata MPG | Nissan Altima MPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $28,084 | $22,499 | Hyundai Sonata +$5,585 | 27–32 MPG | 28–30 MPG |
| 2025 | $23,281 | $20,998 | Hyundai Sonata +$2,283 | 27–32 MPG | 28–31 MPG |
| 2024 | $21,970 | $19,980 | Hyundai Sonata +$1,990 | 27–29 MPG | 29–31 MPG |
| 2023 | $21,990 | $20,998 | Hyundai Sonata +$992 | 27–32 MPG | 29–31 MPG |
| 2022 | $19,986 | $17,998 | Hyundai Sonata +$1,988 | 27–32 MPG | 29–32 MPG |
| 2021 | $17,540 | $16,470 | Hyundai Sonata +$1,070 | 27–32 MPG | 29–32 MPG |
| 2020 | $17,396 | $14,795 | Hyundai Sonata +$2,601 | 31–32 MPG | 29–32 MPG |
| 2019 | $13,750 | $13,995 | Nissan Altima +$245 | 26–39 MPG | 29–32 MPG |
| 2018 | $12,300 | $10,586 | Hyundai Sonata +$1,714 | 26–39 MPG | 26–31 MPG |
| 2017 | $9,999 | $9,956 | Hyundai Sonata +$43 | 24–39 MPG | 26–31 MPG |
| 2016 | $9,490 | $9,298 | Hyundai Sonata +$192 | 24–40 MPG | 26–31 MPG |
| 2015 | $8,998 | $7,999 | Hyundai Sonata +$999 | 24–31 MPG | 26–31 MPG |
| 2014 | $8,000 | $7,499 | Hyundai Sonata +$501 | 24–27 MPG | 25–31 MPG |
| 2013 | $7,039 | $6,995 | Hyundai Sonata +$44 | 26–27 MPG | 25–31 MPG |
| 2012 | $6,900 | $5,900 | Hyundai Sonata +$1,000 | 26–27 MPG | 21–26 MPG |
| 2011 | $5,995 | $5,493 | Hyundai Sonata +$502 | 26–27 MPG | 21–33 MPG |
| 2010 | $5,579 | $5,500 | Hyundai Sonata +$79 | 22–25 MPG | 21–34 MPG |
| 2009 | $5,195 | $4,985 | Hyundai Sonata +$210 | 22–25 MPG | 21–34 MPG |
| 2008 | $4,995 | $4,997 | Nissan Altima +$2 | 22–25 MPG | 22–34 MPG |
| 2007 | $4,995 | $4,570 | Hyundai Sonata +$425 | 21–25 MPG | 22–34 MPG |
| 2006 | $4,562 | $4,299 | Hyundai Sonata +$263 | 21–25 MPG | 21–24 MPG |
Typical price = national median asking price of live listings for that model year (August 2026); MPG = EPA combined range across rated versions.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper to buy used — Hyundai Sonata or Nissan Altima?
Comparing the same model years (2024–2026), the Nissan Altima is cheaper: it typically lists for $20,998 versus $23,281 for the Hyundai Sonata (national medians, August 2026).
Which gets better fuel economy — Hyundai Sonata or Nissan Altima?
The Hyundai Sonata: its typical rated version returns 27 MPG combined versus 26 MPG for the Nissan Altima (median across EPA-rated versions of the compared years).
Which is safer — Hyundai Sonata or Nissan Altima?
By NCAP overall crash-test rating the Hyundai Sonata averages 5.0 of 5 stars across rated years versus 4.9 for the Nissan Altima. Always check the specific model year's rating in the table above.
Which is more reliable — Hyundai Sonata or Nissan Altima?
NHTSA lists an average of 4.7 recalls per model year for the Hyundai Sonata and 4.0 for the Nissan Altima — an edge for the Nissan Altima. Recall and complaint counts scale with sales volume, so treat them as context and check any specific car's VIN history.
Which trims should I actually compare?
Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, a Hyundai Sonata SEL typically lists for $22,495 vs $18,998 for a Nissan Altima S; the most common trims on the market are the SEL ($22,495, 68.9% of Hyundai Sonata listings) and the SV ($20,349, 68.6% of Nissan Altima listings); at the top of the market, the N LINE ($29,792) faces the SL ($24,602). Overall medians hide this trim mix — use the trim tables above for a fair match. Trim names never map one-to-one across brands, so "cheapest" means the least expensive trim with a real market share, not the factory base.
https://vehisales.com/research/compare/hyundai/sonata/vs/nissan/altima.
Dig deeper
Hyundai Sonata — live listings & specs Nissan Altima — live listings & specs Hyundai Sonata prices by year Nissan Altima prices by year Hyundai Sonata MPG by year Nissan Altima MPG by year
See also: All model comparisons · Best used cars by budget · Used car prices by model.